Error: Connection Not Found

If you told me fifteen years ago, way back when my parents purchased their first desktop computer, that one day we'd be able to sit outside and surf the internet without the hindrance of wires… I would have called you crazy. It was normal to wait ten minutes for your dial-up to connect to the misunderstood internet back then.  But today, we're accustomed to fast connections without wires tying us down. So why, then, am I met with such difficulty when trying to connect to Plymouth State's wireless network? 

PSU's White Mountain Student Apartments Complex enabled wireless capabilities early last semester, and members of the community were thrilled with the addition. Thing's worked fluidly and without hindrance, and when I returned my student apartment after winter break I had assumed that I'd be met with the same ease as last fall semester. Apparently, I was wrong. 

When I first opened my browser to check my e-mail and class schedule, I was greeted by the now all too familiar message "Internet connection not found." I refreshed the page, thinking that it might have needed a minute to adjust, but I wasn't so lucky. Instead of using the "PSU Student" network, I tried the "PSU Secure Guest," and still had no luck.  I was able to get online only after waiting over ten minutes and tinkering with the controls. 

After having difficulty connecting for a few weeks, I contacted ITS via their support page on their website. The next day I received a response recommending that I bring my laptop to the ITS Helpdesk in Lampson Library. When I finally had a chance to stop by the Helpdesk, the employee on duty simply removed the unwanted networks from my computer's memory. It seemed so simple, in fact, that I had already tried this myself numerous times. After this ITS assistance, I was in fact able to connect to "PSU Student", but quickly the problem arose once again. 

I'm aware that ITS has recently changed the PSU wireless networks to make them more secure, but it seems to be at the cost of limiting students' access to the wireless internet we've come to expect. It seems counter productive to employ a new secure wireless network that students cannot easily access. 

And, yes, I know that students can use Ethernet cables and have instant access to the Internet, but with the expenses already paid for this ability we should be able to access its' bounty. It seems like the new advances to our technology have only served as an impediment. With today's culture we have come to expect wireless Internet, and after having the luxury available last semester, there simply seems to be an unaddressed flaw in the system.

Having new wireless capabilties across campus represents an amazing advance in PSU technology, and all I would like to see is more reliable acessability for students so they can further utilize this technology.